After over a MONTH, I FINALLY finished it!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so excited to be continuing her story!!!
HOWEVER, in case you haven't read the first two parts (Or just want/need a refresher), here are the links for the first two parts.
(Prologue): TGH: Beyond the Sands (Prologue) | theguardianherd
(Part 1): TGH: Beyond the Sands (Part 1) | theguardianherd
And, now, Part 3 of 'Beyond the Sands'
The two fillies flew over the desert landscape, Skysun’s wings buzzing in anticipation as they neared the destination she had in mind. Flamebreeze, on the other hoof, was muttering irritably to herself, claiming that Skysun’s plan was both dangerous and ill conceived. After all, flying away from the Red Rock Mountains as foals was dangerous as it was! She had half a mind to abandon the plan and find Skysun’s father herself so that he could deal with her friend. Flamebreeze never got the chance to turn back, because a few moments later, they had arrived. A huge patch of grass green cacti stretched out for over a mile along both banks of the Tail River. It was known to the Ash Herd steeds as ‘The Tears of the Desert’. Legend stated that the cactus patch sprung up out of the sands after the ancient steeds of Desert Herd stood up against the evil Nightwing the Destroyer…and were massacred for it.
“Look!” Skysun whinnied enthusiastically, “We’re here!”
“Greaaaaaaat…” Flamebreeze muttered.
“You remember what to do?” The chestnut filly asked.
“Yes…” Flamebreeze muttered, looking at the cactus patch irritably, “Do we have to go through with this?” She asked, looking at her pleadingly.
“Yes! It’ll be fun!” She said, a wide smile on her face, “Don’t tell me you’re scared!”
The buckskin snorted, “No! I’m not scared, I’m just practical!” She retorted, “This is dangerous, Skysun! We should go home, before we get into serious trouble!”
The chestnut filly shook her head, “Nope! We got this far, we’re not backing down!”
Flamebreeze sighed, “Fine…” She said, pinning her ears back irritably.
She nodded, “Good! Now, remember, the first one through the cactus patch wins!” She nickered.
The buckskin nodded, “I know, I know.”
“Now, on three!” She said, her gaze held on the cactus patch. “One…”
Flamebreeze looked at her friend, anxiousness written all over her features.
“Two…”
She sighed, resigning herself to her fate. If Skysun wanted to do this, then she would go along with it.
“Three!”
The two fillies tucked in their wings, dropping towards the edge of the cactus patch. Before they hit the sandy ground, the fillies threw open their wings, Skysun rocketing ahead into the cactus patch.
The chestnut filly dodged around the cacti, exhilaration coursing through her as she avoided cactus after cactus. As she got into the center of the patch, however, Skysun realized that the cacti were closer together, making it more difficult to avoid them. She narrowly missed a crash landing dozens of times. She realized that this may not be the best idea when a large group of cacti loomed ahead of her like a wall, so closely knit together that she would not be able to fly through. Thinking on her hooves, she lifted into the air a couple feet, tucked in her wings, and dove through a small hole in the cacti, throwing open her wings on the other side. Looking behind her, she whinnied in joy. She did it! She passed the wall of cacti! A moment later, a sharp pain stabbed her wing, throwing her off balance and causing her to crash into a cactus, and that caused her to crash into the ground. Skysun tumbled out of the cactus patch, crumpling on the ground in a heap, pain coursing through her body.
“Skysun!” Whinnied a worried female voice.
Opening one eye, Skysun saw her buckskin friend land beside her…without a scratch on her.
“H…how did you…g…get past the…the patch?” She asked, stuttering in pain.
Flamebreeze looked at her hooves, her ears pinned back in embarrasement, “I…uhh…pulled up.” She said, flinching slightly as she looked at her friend.
“P…pulled up?” Skysun stuttered.
The buckskin nodded, “I…pulled up above the cactus patch.”
“So…y…you n…never fl…flew into the p…patch?” She asked.
“No…I…I flew above it. I got scared and…”
“It’s f…fine!” Skysun said, “You p…probably w…would’ve e…ended up lik…like me any…way.”
Flamebreeze flinched, assessing her friend’s injuries, “Those look bad…” She breathed, “Can you stand up? We’ll have to walk home…your wings look seriously injured.”
“I…I can try…” She replied, bringing her legs under her so that she could get to her hooves. She attempted the feat, but crumpled with a cry of pain as her injured front leg buckled under her weight with a stabbing pain.
“Oh, Skysun…” Flamebreeze muttered, lying down by her injured friend, “I…I’ll help you stand…” She said, “We can’t stay here…we need to get you to the Medicine Mare…”
Skysun nodded, leaning into her friend as she stood, letting her take the weight of her injury, “Now we just need to walk back…”
The fillies were just about to set out, when suddenly, a large black shadow fell across the fillies, blocking out the desert sun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HERD ALLEGIANCES
ASH HERD:
Over-Stallion: Camelwing, a dun stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, two white front socks, two white hind stockings, a slim white blaze, and sandy yellow feathers
Lead Mare: Galecloud, an older chestnut mare with a chestnut mane and tail, pale yellow feathers, four white socks, and a wide white blaze
Medicine Mare: Oasisroot, a pearl chestnut pinto mare with a slightly darker mane and tail, and sun yellow feathers stained at the tips from the herbs and roots she works with
Captains:
Adderfire: A magnificent chestnut stallion with a chestnut mane and tail, two white hind stockings, and golden feathers tipped in a sandy yellow
Sunfire: A dun stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and golden feathers that fade to a pale yellow
Under-Stallions:
Jetflight: A golden buckskin stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, two white hind stockings, and cream yellow wings tipped in white
Mares:
Amberfeather: A palomino mare with a white mane and tail, a wide white blaze, two white hind socks, and amber feathers tipped in coppery red
Cactusbreeze: A golden buckskin mare with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and yellow feathers fading to a pale yellowy green
Lighthoof: A young palomino mare with a white mane and tail, a white front sock with a peachy hoof, a thin white blaze, and coppery red wings fading to gold
Foals:
Skysun: A chestnut filly with a slightly darker chestnut mane and tail, four white socks, a wide white blaze, and gold wings tipped in a darker gold
Flamebreeze: Buckskin filly with a black mane and tail, black points, thin white jagged stripe on face, one right front sock and one left hind sock, and desert yellow wings tipped in ocher
Sandhoof: A dunskin colt with a black mane and tail, black points, two white front socks, and bright yellow wings tipped in a sandy yellow
MOON HERD
Over-Stallion: Sleetwing, a light gray stallion with a darker gray mane and tail, an interrupted white blaze, and pale blue wings
Lead Mare: Ashcloud, a sooty gray mare with a black mane and tail, four white socks, and pale green wings fading to a light gray
Captains:
Icefire: A blue roan mare with a black mane and tail, two white front socks and a hind left sock, and with silvery gray wings fading to a pale blue
Under-Stallion:
Tigerfeather: A light gray appaloosa stallion with a light gray mane and tail, four white socks, and pale yellow feathers fading to a pale orange
Mares:
Starlight: A white mare with a white mane and tail, and pale pink wings
Palefrost: A pearl mare with white wings fading to an icy blue
Foals:
Snowsong: A silver appaloosa filly with a white mane and tail, two white hind socks, and light purple wings that fade to white
Jaggedstone: A dark gray colt with one white right front sock, a jagged white stripe on his face, and pale silver wings fading to a pale blue
RIVER HERD:
Council Members:
Ravenfrost: A black mare with a black mane and tail, four white socks, a wide white blaze, and pale blue wings, Mare Representative to the Council
Hawklight: A light bay stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, dark brown wings fading to black, the Stallion Representative to the Council
Harefire: Lead Captain of River Herd, a dark chestnut pinto stallion with a dark chestnut mane and a white tail, four white socks, a wide white blaze, and white wings fading to ocher, Captain Representative to the Council
Petalroot: Medicine Mare of River Herd, a silver pinto mare with a silver mane and tail, four white socks, and pink wings fading to green, Medicine Mare Representative of River Herd
Foals:
Nightmoon: A grullo sabino filly with four white socks, a wide white blaze, and dark blue wing that fade to black
GRASS HERD
Over-Stallion: Lightwing, a palomino stallion with a white mane and tail, four white socks, a large snip on his nose, and pale yellow wings fading to a light blue
Lead Mare: Rosecloud, a dark bay pinto mare, a black mane and tail, black points, two white hind socks, and a bald face marking, and deep red wings
Foals:
Darkfeather: A bay colt with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and wings that go from a pale purple at the front to dark purple at the flight feathers
CRAG HERD:
Over-Stallion: Stonewing, a dark gray stallion with a black mane and tail, two white hind socks, and dark blue wings
Lead Mare: Pinecloud, a light gray stallion with a dark gray mane and tail, four white socks, and pine green wings
Foals:
Speckledice: A gray leopard appaloosa colt with a white mane and tail, and baby blue wings fading to white
WIND HERD:
Over-Stallion: Hailwing, A silver dapple stallion with four white socks, a large star on his face, and slate gray wings
Lead Mare: Softcloud, a cream pearl mare with pale pink wings that fade to a darker pink
Foals:
Woodflake: A dark bay colt with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and pale brown wings
CAVERN HERD
Over-Stallion: Viperwing, a dark bay stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, two white front socks, and dark green wings
Lead Mare: Leafcloud, a dark brown snowcap appaloosa mare with a dark brown mane and tail, four white socks, and pale green wings fading to a dark green
Foals:
Emeraldheart: A bay filly with a black mane and tail, black points, two white hind socks, and emerald green wings
Brownfeather: A dark brown colt with a dark brown mane and tail, one white front sock, and dark green wings fading to a pale green
MORE CHARACTERS WILL BE ADDED AS THEY INTRODUCED IN THE STORY!!!!
ICONIC
I love this!
Haha! THat's awesome! And...mysterious! Can't wait to find out what THAT is! I love Skysun's personality, and can totally relate to Flamebreeze!! XD Love it!
The classic cactus scene! Oh, Skysun! ;) I liked seeing how you rewrote this, and the dark shadow is a good cliffhanger. I think that it is Viperwing or a Cavern Herd pegasus who wants to capture them.
Just a side note, there are three returns between each character. It might look a bit better with just one. Most likely, that is from copying and pasting into the server. :)